What are you afraid of?
by Fulmonya
Summary: Miles finds the ashes of his past in a fireplace.


What are you afraid of?

Grey eyes awoke in the dark, he was covered in sweat. It was 3 am, another nightmare of that horrid day. He looked outside the window, it was raining heavily paired with the rumbles of thunder.

He was surprised as to how that suddenly reminded him of Larry & Phoenix. They would always hold sleepovers at his house. The usual chain of events would be larry eating too much candy and dozing off from sugar crash. Him and Phoenix would just talk way into the late hours of the night until they fell asleep. They'd make sure to turn off the lights to avoid his father telling them off of how they won't grow any taller if they wouldn't go to bed early.

In one of their sleepovers, he remembered how he found out Phoenix was afraid of thunder. Not that it surprised him, Phoenix would cry over the simplest of things most of the times.

" _Phoenix…?"_

" _Don't laugh.. *sniff*"_

" _don't cry it's okay, all of us are scared of—"_

" _But you're not afraid of anything Miles.."_

" _That's because I don't know what I'm scared of yet, well that's what my papa says.. we're all scared of something"_

" _really…?"_

" _yeah so it's okay Phoenix."_

He never really had the chance to say goodbye to them After his father was shot, and watch the man who shot his father walk free-. He smirked, the one who shot his father was…..

He walked towards the window, although it was raining, the full moon was clear and bright. He decided to go down the library and fetch a book or two for him to read until he falls asleep. There were never shortages of these in the Von Karma manor.

As he was deciding which book to take with him, the fireplace suddenly caught his attention. Something was unknowingly compelling him to walk towards it, he was not even aware that he was standing right in front of it.

It felt warm; did some of the helpers must have use it? It was raining outside.. but why in the library? They had one in their living quarters. Are those…envelopes? Why were they burned? Who burned them?

Curiosity came over him. He grabbed one of the tongs and poked about through the ashes. Surprisingly, one of the envelopes was still intact. He could not read the return address, but his eyes grew wide as he read that it was addressed to him. Could this be from-

"I thought I heard a thief"

Startled, Miles stood up quickly tucking the letter in his back pocket. Hoping that Von Karma didn't see

"I apologize sir. I couldn't sl-"

"Your sleeping habits are none of my concern, what were you doing in that fireplace?" His eyes narrowed

"I was thinking of lighting it up.. it was cold and I wanted to read here" _please.. let him buy it_

"You have blankets in your room and a lamp. You can make do with those now **go back to your room** "

"Yes sir.. I apologize for waking you".

He tried so hard to suppress the smirk that was coming. _Just be glad he didn't catch you_.

He sat on his bed and stared at the envelope. _Miles Edgeworth_. It was really addressed for him… did Von Karma…..? If so how many letters were there that were burned…?

He carefully opened the envelope, perhaps he was irrationally afraid that it would suddenly turn to ash if he was not too careful.

 _Dear Miles,_

 _You haven't been responding to any of my letters.. maybe they got lost in the mail? It's been years since we've last seen each other. So how are things? I'm currently studying Art at Ivy University, although I'm studying law on the side so that maybe we'll see each other in court? Since you've always wanted to be a defense attorney._

 _Besides that.. How are you? Me and Larry already miss you.. Our teacher never explained why you weren't going to school anymore, and the next thing we knew, she said you were going to study in Germany. Don't tell Larry but… I kinda knew you already left somewhere before we mustered up the courage to ask her. I sort of went to your house when you were absent on the first day, and the days after that. Something big must have really happened for you to leave immediately._

 _I always thought that you immediately left because you finally found something that you were scared of? I mean.. since me and Larry were such cowards maybe you were kinda ashamed that you found the thing you were afraid of? If that was the case.. you know I'd never laugh at you Miles, just like how you didn't laugh at mine._

 _I hope this doesn't get lost in the mail again… don't worry though I promise to write you all the time until you finally receive them._

 _I look forward to hearing from you soon,_

 _Phoenix Wright_

All this time.. He was trying to reach him… and Von Karma was…

He folded the letter neatly, stood up, and went to his desk. He grabbed a pen and paper and started writing. Where would he start? Should he explain why he left immediately?

 _Dear Phoenix,_

 _First of all, I'd like to apologize for not responding to your letters, you're right some of them might have gotten lost in the mail. Things are going fine I'm currently taking up law to be a prose-_

Then he stopped, crumpled the paper and threw it in the bin.

What is because he didn't know the return address? No… no it wasn't.. The person who cared and looked up to him… was going to know that he would become a prosecutor… just like the people who… No.. This was Phoenix, he'd understand.. But would he? He hasn't responded to any of his letters… How long has he been writing to me? Is he still trying to reach me?

He stood up, turned off his lamp and laid down. He pulled the blankets over his head, another rumble of thunder.

" _heh… I guess I found out what I'm afraid of… Phoenix"_

Miles then learned to love the rain and the rumbling thunder at that moment, for it drowned out all his sadness and he was born anew.


End file.
